CMBO Morning Flight takes off

Down at the southernmost tip of New Jersey, a birding tradition began its seventh year on Sunday, just after sunrise. At Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area, bird counters stood on the dredge spoil and counted the songbirds traveling north and following a cold front.

From atop the dredge soil, looking south and at the observation platform

With support from Zeiss, Cape May Bird Observatory's Morning Flight Project employs counters and provides Zeiss spotting scopes and binocular to identify the fall warblers and other species. On some mornings -- such as Oct. 16, 1990, and Oct. 18, 1995 -- more than 100,000 birds fly above Higbee.

The project will continue until Oct. 31. Free programs that describe the count will occur at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday morning through the end of October.

Cape May birding appears in "Los Angeles Times"

Earlier this week, New Jersey's primo birding town appeared on the LAT website. I like seeing the Times' coverage of birding, particularly outside of the Golden State.


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The 3-plus-page article, "Flocking to Cape May, New Jersey: Birdwatchers' town is great place to spot all manner of species," offers many tips about where to go and what to do, includes a seven-image photo gallery and has a short video about New Jersey Audubon Society narrated by Brian Mosketello. The article also quotes three fantastic birders: Scott Weidensaul, Pete Dunne and Don Freiday. (I'm pleased to have met all three.)

more World Series of Birding

As the driver for the award-winning Swarovski Digiscoping Hawks in Saturday's World Series, my view consisted largely of this scene:


I liked that view particularly when the rain kicked in... again. The intermittent wetness prompted some in-car digiscoping by Clay Taylor and Sharon Stiteler.


The soggy weather did not, however, prevent the digiscoping duo from pursuing their quarry by foot in saltmarshes. Out they went, in search of species and identifiable photos.


Thank goodness Clay and Sharon brought extra shoes and socks. Multiple tromps through the muck resulted in Keens like these:


And they smelled somethin' fierce. Believe me.

N.J. birding in Philadelphia Inquirer

Still haven't sampled the birding at New Jersey's southernmost tip, Cape May? Perhaps this article in The Philadelphia Inquirer will nudge you to do so.

Experts consider Cape May and the surrounding region the premier migratory flyway of North America - and possibly the world - by accident of geography. The Atlantic flyway funnels mind-boggling numbers of birds along New Jersey's coastline for one of their last stopovers for rest and nourishment before their thousands-of-miles journey to breeding grounds in the Canadian Maritimes and other points north.

And the spectacle can be amazing:

Marshes at the Cape May Meadows filled with so many egrets it looked as though snow was blanketing the reeds. Hundreds of ethereal-looking gannets roosted on a sunken ship at Sunset Beach. The woods at Higbee Beach were alight with flocks of yellow-throated warblers that never seemed to stop their sing-song trill.

I've had the pleasure of visiting Cape May about twice a year for four years. No one at my office hears grumbles about those business trips.

Think the area appeals only to birders? Think again. As a Jersey shore vacation destination, it offers other temptations -- day spas, excellent restaurants, fun shops and, of course, the beach.

Cape May's feral cats...

continue to generate news coverage. In "The Buffalo News," Gerry Rising recently wrote

Deputy Cape May Mayor Neils Favre reported receiving 600 e-mails in a single day from cat supporters, and almost 100 protesters attended council meetings. Among other things the cat backers claimed that no proof had been provided that any birds at all had been killed.

Sadly, no similar effort was mounted on behalf of the endangered birds.

What do birders need to do differently -- and soon! -- so that they present similar support for birds in situations like this?

Feral cats in birding mecca

Did you see yesterday's article about plans for the feral cat colony in Cape May?

CAPE MAY, N.J. - The cats vs. birds struggle in this Victorian seaside resort has come down to the carrot vs. the stick.

The carrot is a compromise that would preserve colonies of feral cats but move them away from beaches where endangered shore birds nest. The stick is the federal government's threat to take away some of the city's badly needed beach replenishment money if the city refuses to move the felines.

Fur and feathers may fly as the City Council could decide Tuesday night whether to approve moving the cats.

I have to agree with an employee at a beachside fudge shop: "Bird-watching is big business here," added Theresa Renner, who works at a Boardwalk fudge shop. "A lot of bird lovers come here."

Raptor contest with a prize

Do you know all the species that appear on these clickers at the Cape May hawkwatch platform? Can you surmise which species's clicker is missing from the hook on the far right?


The first person with all the correct species will receive a Raptors 2008 calendar from National Audubon Society.


This fall's head hawkwatch counter in Cape May is Jessie Barry, who reviews books for WildBird's Book Nook department. Congrats, Jessie!

Autumn Weekend: roundup

The first birding bloggers' conference, suggested by John and organized by Sharon, enticed a fair number of bloggers to join the fall festivities in Cape May. We posted entries before, during and after the event.

If you've thought of attending a birding festival but haven't yet, or if you missed out on this year's Autumn Weekend because of other obligations, then you can enjoy a taste here from the smorgasbord of online coverage.

Delia of Beginning to Bird: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday 1 and 2, Wednesday

The view Saturday, about 5 p.m., from the promenade north of the convention hall

John of Born Again Bird Watcher: Friday 1, 2 and 3; Sunday 1 and 2; Tuesday, Thursday

Laura of Somewhere in NJ: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday

Liz of Blue Lizard Birding Blog: Friday (I'd forgotten about that photo, Liz), Saturday

Mike of 10,000 Birds: Sunday, Tuesday

The view Monday, about 8 a.m., from the hawkwatch platform at Cape May Point State Park

Patrick of The Hawk Owl's Nest: Thursday, Sunday

Sharon of Birdchick: Thursday; Friday; Saturday 1 and 2; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday

Sheri of Birders on the Border & Life, Birds and Everything: Oct. 6

Susan of Lake Life: Saturday

Susan of Susan Gets Native: Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Friday

Perhaps the Autumn Weekend organizers consider the quality of this coverage an appropriate return on investment for the blogger registration discount and they'll offer a discount for future events. We'll see!

Completely off-topic: Did anyone else visit Rita's, across the street from the convention hall? It's not a West Coast option, so when Sheri of Birders on the Border showed me her custard cone, I had to investigate the new shop. (I think it replaced an Atlantic Book Shops.) Oh, the choices! Upon my return to the convention hall, my hand held a cup of Death by Chocolate Blenderini -- chocolate ice, chocolate custard and Oreo crumbles. Happiness, indeed!

Autumn Weekend: Monday

Although the festivities officially ended on Sunday, some of us remained in Cape May on Monday morning. I was lured to the hawkwatch platform (the green circle) at Cape May Point State Park to see the sunrise. (As always, click on an image to see a larger version.)


Despite the cold (yes, I am a weather wuss), I loved being there and seeing the sky come alive as the sun slowly rose behind the clouds to the east. The 90 minutes at the platform with fun birders -- and, of course, neat birds like Northern Harriers and low-flying Cooper's Hawks -- kept me happy through the morning/afternoon/evening of travel west to Orange County.

Autumn Weekend: Sunday

The morning's long-awaited, dry, sunny weather meant that everyone explored outdoors, making for a very quiet convention hall. In turn, the lower traffic flow through the entrance and exit doors meant more time to chat with WildBird readers and contributors, birders and colleagues. I really enjoy that aspect of Autumn Weekend -- the chance to gab about birds and anything under the sun with fun, friendly folks.

The Bird Show ended at 3 p.m., and my simple booth allowed for a quick wrap-up to another delightful event. A nap in the hotel room felt delicious.

One of my favorite parts of the day: seeing the sky ablaze after the sun set.



Birdchick and I enjoyed another filling, tasty meal with colleagues at Gecko's. Paul Lehman recommends the Navajo fry bread, and I heartily recommend the grilled veggie burrito with peanut mole (it's big enough for two meals).

Autumn Weekend: Saturday

Facing another rainy morning, Birdchick and I walked to Uncle Bill's Pancake House for a tasty start to the day. The waitresses brightened the atmosphere with their fun costumes -- a cow, a prom queen, a housewife and other whimsical attire.

The Flock (Susan, Delia, Susan and Laura) also enjoyed breakfast at Uncle Bill's and stopped by our table to gab about Birds & Beer the night before. Birdchick savored her pumpkin pancakes while I indulged in potato pancakes with sour cream and applesauce -- mmmm.

While tending a booth in the Cape May Convention Hall, sometimes little things become bigger in importance. Those little things might include the quality of the candy at your booth or that of your neighbors. Yes, our perspective might have been reduced to this when visitors to the convention hall dwindled.


The number of visitors decreased for a very good reason: The sun finally came out. Woo hoo! When the show closed at 5 p.m., I began walking on the promenade to the Grand Hotel for the evening's activities. Isn't this glorious?


The Saturday night program started with a social and a book signing, the first to which I was asked to participate. I contributed an essay ("Think like a migrating bird" on page 75) to Good Birders Don't Wear White (Houghton Mifflin, 2007) and earned a spot at the table between Kevin Karlson and Chuck Hagner. Kevin needed to leave temporarily, so Michael O'Brien, his co-author on The Shorebird Guide (Houghton Mifflin, 2006), signed copies of that photo-filled resource.

Here are left to right: (back row) Pete Dunne, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Bouton, Clay Sutton, Lisa White, Sheri Williamson; (front row) Kevin Karlson, Chuck Hagner, Jessie Barry, me and Louise Zemaitis. I'm happy to note that Pete and Kevin participate on WildBird's advisory board, Jeff B. writes the "Adventures with Austin" column in each issue, Sheri contributes her expertise to the annual hummingbird issue, and Jessie writes reviews for Book Nook in each issue.

After the signing, we adjourned to the evening meal before adorning the stage as a panel presentation. For the evening program, we briefly spoke about our respective topics (mine being our responsibility to prepare for field trips with rest, water and snacks so we can better enjoy the birds and avoid becoming hangry -- hungry and angry).

Autumn Weekend: Friday

The Bird Show began at noon, with me behind a table of candy and complimentary copies of the May/June issue -- the annual hummingbird overdose. (Many thanks to Adrian Binns for the photo.)


With the gray damp weather outside the Cape May Convention Hall, I didn't mind spending most of the afternoon indoors. Plus, I've enjoyed the same spot -- near the entrance and exit -- for a few years and like chatting with familiar neighbors: The Bird House of Cape May on my left and Tom Ahern and his wife, Barbara, on my right. See what we avoided while tending our booths inside the hall?


While inside, I got to catch up with colleagues and to greet bloggers in town for the birding bloggers conference. Woo hoo!

On the way to Jackson Mountain Cafe for dinner and Birds & Beers, Birdchick and I stopped in Atlantic Book Shops on Washington Street Mall to look for her newly released book. One copy remained in the humor section!


Then things got silly at the cafe.


We enjoyed the wit and laughter of so many interesting folks that evening: Laura of Somewhere in New Jersey, Susan of Susan Gets Native, Delia of Beginning to Bird, Susan of Lake Life, John of Born Again Bird Watcher, Mike of 10,000 Birds, Jeff of Jeff Gyr's Birding Blog, Liz of Blue Lizard Birding Blog, Sheri of Birders on the Border, Patrick of The Hawk Owl's Nest, Beth of Easy Eco-Living, Taryn and Lisa of Houghton Mifflin, Bill Stewart who shared positive news about birders buying land for Red Knots (that's what it takes -- doing it ourselves), Jim Rapp of Delmarva Low Impact Tourism Experiences... and probably other individuals who're beyond my recall at the moment.

Sheri, Mike, Sharon and I practically closed the place. We had such a good time gabbing about birds and other topics that we were the last customers in the cafe. We should do it again soon.

Autumn Weekend: Thursday

The day began, literally, on a plane traveling from Denver to Philadelphia, preceded by an 8 p.m. flight from Orange County to Denver. Red-eye flights seem like the only logical way to reach the East Coast without wasting an entire day inside tin cans.

Reaching Philly at 5:30 a.m., I navigated through the usual number sequence -- 95, 76, 42, 55, 47, 9, 109 -- to reach the southernmost city in New Jersey. The rental car pulled into the birding mecca about two hours after it left the City of Brotherly Love.


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Uncle Bill's Pancake House lured me to it with the siren song of buttermilk pancakes, bacon and eggs. Love that place. The filling food and warm service provided a nice finish to the overnight travel.

After checking into the usual spot, Avondale by the Sea, I encountered two optics colleagues, one of whom invited me to visit the Meadows (aka The Nature Conservancy's Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge) on Sunset Boulevard -- that pink area. (Click on the image to see a larger version.)

Honestly, it felt so good to be outside -- despite the wind, rain and cold temperature -- that I didn't pay much attention to the birds. I noted Canada Geese, sparrows (which largely remain Little Brown Jobs for me) and Mallards.

When Clay and I reached the dunes, my brain recognized Great Black-backed Gulls on the sand. Mostly, I reveled in being in one of my favorite spots: Cape May.


We also visited the Second Avenue jetty, and Clay spotted a Black-throated Blue Warbler as it flew to shore from the ocean. When we got closer looks through our bins, the bird appeared to be catching its breath while sitting on the sand near the fence. What incredible plumage!


Birdchick appeared in mid-afternoon, and we stocked the hotel room's mini-fridge with snacks and pampered ourselves at Hale Nails before enjoying a fabulous meal at Freda's Cafe. (Like many restaurants in the city, Freda's is BYOB, so visit Collier's beforehand.)

Fall migrations

In addition to this month's Autumn Weekend in Cape May N.J., I get to attend the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival in Harlingen, Texas, next month. Have you been to south Texas? I really enjoy visits to the region... well, except for the chigger bites. Those I could do without. Thank goodness for Chiggerex.


You can read about previous visits via these links:
2005: Nov. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
2006: April 8, 9, 10, 11, 27, 28, 29, 30; Nov. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

I digiscoped that Aplomado Falcon during the early-April Birder of the Year trip with Leigh Johnson.

Autumn Weekend

If you're going to Cape May, N.J., for the late-October event, you might find this site helpful: Bird Cape May. Don't forget that the registration deadline is Oct. 15.

As a bird blogger, you might qualify for a discount. Check with BirdChick.

If you visit The Bird Show at the convention center, please stop by the WildBird booth, where you can pick up some candy and find me (hopefully not eating tooo much of the candy).

Cape May Autumn Weekend

Thinking about or planning to join Autumn Weekend events in Cape May, N.J., at the end of October? Don't wait too long to make travel reservations. Hotels might fill quickly there, even at this time of year.

You can download the AW registration form from that link. The registration deadline is Oct. 15.

This year's Autumn Weekend includes the first birding blogger conference, organized by BirdChick and New Jersey Audubon Society. I'm looking forward to seeing and meeting many more bloggers. Check with BirdChick about the blogger discount.

Want to see what south JOYzee and Autumn Weekend are like? Click through some pics and some previous posts.

Cape May for nonbirders

For many birders, Cape May stands out as a migration Mecca. The birding hot spot at the southernmost point of New Jersey lures birders from around the world.

Some birders, however, might find their choice of travel destination hindered by relatives or friends who don't like to watch or look for birds. This photo essay is an attempt to remedy that.

Nonbirders can find many ways to enjoy their time in and around Cape May while their birding relative(s) and friend(s) soak up the local sites and the smorgasbord of species. For instance:


or


Click that link for more ideas!